Closure latch



Oct. 17, 1961 F. bULLY ET AL 3,004,783

CLOSURE LATCH med oct, 1, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mfwum ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1961 F. DULLY ET AL CLOSURE LATCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 0G12. l, 1959 Y, s M w //z. A www; .www y@ m oct. 17, 1961 Filed OGL. 1, 1959 F. l. DULLY ET AL CLOSURE LATCH w 1 if 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 w ww @a ff INVENTORS MQW,

ATTORNEY UnitedI ,States Patent O 3,004,788 CLOSURE LATCH.

i Floyd Ivan Dully, Detroit, and Romeo Oribello Umanos,

This invention relates to closure latches and more particularly to a convertible top header latch assembly.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the latch assembly includes a double ended electric motor driving a pair of like right .hand and left hand latches which include a reduction gear unit operating the latch structure associated therewith. One feature of this invention is the provision of a latch structureV which includes a hook type latch bolt and means 4for positively guiding the movement of the bolt. The guiding means includes a bellcrank lever driven by thereduction gear unit and having one I leg thereof pivoted to one end of the bolt. A link pivotally interconnects the unit and an intermediate portion of the bolt, and the length of the link and of the one leg of the lever are arranged to positively guide-both pivotal and bodily movement of the latch bolt between latched, un'- latched or safetyyand open or 'parked positions. ,Generally, the latch bolt moves linearly into `and out of engagement with a striker pin mounted on the windshield header when moving between latched and unlatched positions and swings relative to its linear path of movement when moving between unlatched and open or parked positlons.

Another feature of this invention is in the` provision of a guide pin integral with the reduction gear unit to guide engagement of the top headery with the windshield header. A further feature of this invention is in the provision of a limit switch adjacent to and outboard of each of the guide pins, with one limit switch controlling deenergization of the motor when the latch bolt is adjacent its latched position and the other limit switch controlling deenergization of the motor when the latch bolt is adjacent its parked position. By deenergizing the motor prior top headery 14 engages the windshield header 16 when;

to the time the bolts reach a terminal position the motor overtravel will move the bolts to their terminal positions. Bending or undue stress on the latches caused by motor overtravel at the terminal latch bolt positions is thereby avoided. Yet another feature of this inventionY is in the provision of the means for actuating the limit switches in accordance with the position-of the latch bolts. Each of the guide pins mountsfa spring biased plunger which operates a respective limit switch. The other leg of eachof the bellcrank levers is provided with a cam surface which operates a respective plunger to in .turn yoperate the respective limit switch. v

, Other features of the latch assembly of this invention will be readily apparent from the followingspecication and drawings, wherein: f I

. FIGURE l is a partial front elevational view ofa" convertible type automobile embodying a header latch assembly according to thisinvention, with a portion thereof broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of the broken away portion of FIGUREI;V

FIGURE 3 is aright hand side elevational 'View of the latch taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, partially broken away, taken generallyalong the plane indicated by linef44v of FIGURE 2; l A

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line, 5 5 of FIGURE 4; v

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 6-6 of FIGURE 2; l

3,004,788 Patented Oct. 17, 1961 FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 7-7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a partial view similar to FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is a partial view similar to FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 10 is a circuit diagram.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a convertible type automobile 10 includes a conventional convertible top struct-ure 12 Iwhich is mounted thereon for movement between a raised position, as shown, and a lowered position, not shown, and which includes a top header 14 at the forward edge portion thereof. 'The the top is in a raised position and a header latch assembly according to this invention is provided to latch and unlatch the top header from the windshield header.

The header latch assembly generally includes a centrally'disposed double ended reversible motor 18 which operates a pair of right hand and left hand latches 20 and 21 respectively, by means of `flexible cables 22 which interconnect the motor and the latches. Since each of the latch assemblies is generally of like construction, although of different hand, only the right hand latch assembly 20 will be specifically described and it will be understood that the left hand latch assembly 21 is of the same construction unless otherwise noted.

Referringnow particularly to FIGURES '3 through 5 of the drawings, a reduction gear housing 24 includes an apertured flange 26 at each side thereof which is bolted at 28 to one of a like pair of brackets 30. Brackets 30 are welded or otherwise secured to the lower wall 32 of the top header 14. Housing 24 includes a generally hori; zont'ally disposed bore 34, FIGURE 4, which` is open at either end thereof and receives a drive worm 316. One end of the worm shaft is rotatably mounted within a cap type bushing 38 which ts within a shouldered portion 40 of bore 34 and is secured in place by spinning over the end 41 of the wall of the bore. An intermediate portion 42 of the worm shaft is rotatably mounted within a bushing 43 which is received within a shouldered 'portion 44 of bore 34, With'a ange 46 of the worm' shaft engaging the inner end of the bushing to thereby accurately locate the worm 36 within bore 34. The worm shaft further includes a square shaped bore 4S at the lother end thereof which receives the square shaped end 50 of the drive cable 22 tol thereby operatively inter-` connect the worm and electric motor 18.

VA vertically disposed bore 5-2 is located generally normal to the bore 34 and opens thereto as shown in FIG- URE 4 of the drawings. Asbest shown in FIGURE 5, a nylon thrust plug 54 t's'within the lower closed end of bore 52 and provides ya thrust bearing for the lower Vend of the shaft of a worm and worm wheel assembly 56.- 'A bushing 58 received vw'thin the lower closed end of the bore 52 pro-vides the radial bearing for the lower end of the assembly shaft. lA retainer cap 59 litsl within lan upper shouldered portion 60 of bore 52 and is secured in place by spinning over the end 62 of the wall of the bore. The retainer cap 59 includes a shouldered bore 'which receives a nylon thrust plug 64 and a bushing66 Yto rotatably mount and locate the upper end of the shaft `the bore 52 and is located generally normal to this bore and bore 34, being located below the bore 34 and to the left of bore 52 as viewed in FIGURES 4 and 7 of the drawings. A

As shown in FIGURE 7 of the drawings, a shouldered bushing 72 fits within the inner closed shouldered end 74 of bore 70 and rotatably mounts -the inner end of the shaft 75 of a worm wheel 76 which meshes with worm 77 of assembly 56 so as to be driven thereby. A retainer 78 tits within an outer shouldered portion 80 of bore 'p70 and is secured in place by spinning over the outer end 82 of the wall of the bore. Ihe retainer 78 mounts a shouldered bushing 84 rotatably mounting the outer end of shaft 75, and it will be noted that the flanges of both bushingsY 72 and 84 rotatably engage opposite faces of the worm wheel 76' to accurately locate the wormwheel within bore 70. An oil seal 86 is further provided between the retainer 78 and the shaft 75 to prevent oil leakage from the housing 24.

The outer end of shaft 75'is'provided with diametrically opposite ats 92 and is slidably and non-rotatably received within a similarly shaped opening 94 provided in a bellcrank lever 96. Bellcrank 96 is riveted at 98 to shaft 75, with a resil-ient washer 100 being provided between the rivet and the bellcrank. As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 of the drawings, one leg 102 of bellcrank 96 is pivoted at 104 to the free end of a generally hook shaped latch bolt 106, withV a resilient washer 108 being provided between the leg of the bellcrank and latch bolt to allow free swinging movement of the latch bolt relative to the bellcrank about the pivot 104.

As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, a stud 1'10 is iixedly secured to a boss 112 of housing 24 and rotatably mounts one end of an arcuate link 114. It will be noted that the stud v110 projects outwardly beyond the surface of the link to provide a stop pin as will be further described. The other end of the link 114 is pivoted at 116 to an intermediate portion of the latch bolt 106, with a resilient washer 117 being provided be tween the link and latch bolt to provide free pivotal movement of each relative to the other.

As |best shown in FIGURES 2, 4 and 6 of the drawings, the housing 24 includes an integral extension 118 which lixedly mounts a guide pin l120 depending therefrom. The extension -1'18 is provided with a bore 121 and a plunger 122 is slidably mounted therein. A guide bushing 124 is received within a shouldered portion y126 of the bore and is secu-red in place by spinning over the end 127 of the wall of the bore. The guide bushing slidably mounts one end of the plunger'1-22 and the other end thereof is slidably mounted by an aperture 128 provided in the end wall of the bore. A coil compression spring 130 seats between the bushing 124 and an integral flange .132 of the plunger so as to continually bias the plunger to its position as shoiwn in FIGURE 6 wherein the ange 132 engages the end wall of the bore. One

Assuming now that it is desired to unlatch the top header 14 from the windshield header y16, the operator will close a manually operable switch 15S, FIGURE l0, which is connected in series with a battery 160, to the contact 162 thereof. 'This will energize motor 18 to drive cables 22 and in turn rotate `the bellcrank 96 clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 2. A s the bellcrank rotates in this direction, pivot 104 lswings in an arc about the axis of shaft'75` to shift the latch `bolt 106 generally downwardly, as viewed in FIGURE v2, as link 114 swings about pivot 110 `so as to guide this downward movement of the bolt out of engagement with striker pin 152 to release the Yseal pressure of weathe'rstr-ip 154. As the latch bolt moves lfrom its latched position, as shown in full lines in FIGURE 2, to its unlatched position A as shown in `dot-'dash lines therein, it can be seen that the length of link 1,14 and of leg 102 of lever 96 and the position of pivot 110' and the axis of shaft 75 are arranged so that the bolt moves generally linearly and downwardly of the top header-as pivot 104 moves from one side of a line through pivot 1=16 and the axis of shaft 75 to a position intermediate andrin general alignment therewith. Thereafter, upon continued swinging movement of the lever 96 and of the link 114, the latch bolt will swing relative to its linear Vpath of movement as it moves from its position A of FIGURE 2 to its open or parked position Bas shown in FIGURE 9 as pivot 104 moves out of general alignment with pivot 116 and the axis of shaft 75 to the other side'of aline therethrough to position the hook shaped end 150 of the bolt out of the path of the striker pin `152, and allow the convertible top to be moved to a lowered position. When the latch bolt has moved to its open or parked position, as shown in FIGURE 9, the leg 102 of bellcrank 96 engages the stop pin 110 to thereby locate the bolt 106 in this position.

During clockwise movement of bellcrank 96, the edge 134 of the bellcrank moves relative to the other end of plunger i122. It will be noted that edge 134 is generally arcuate, having its center at the axis of shaft 75, and

end of the plunger 122 slidably engages the edge 134 of =bellcrank 96 at all times and the other end of the plunger engages the plunger 136 of a normally closed limit switch 138. Switch 1138 is securedto a bracket 140 bolted at 142 to vextension 1'18.

When the convertible top is in a raised position and the latch is in a latched position asshown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the guide.- pin 120 is received Vwithina guide 144 which is integral with a bracket i146 secured to the windshield header 16 at 148. The hook shaped end 150 of the latch bolt 106 engages a striker pin 152 which is integral with the bracket |146 to pull the top header toward the windshield header yand compress weatherstrip 154. It will be noted that in the latched position of the bolt 106, thepivot 104 is located in generally vertical alignment with the axis of shaft 75 and that the leg 102 of bellcrank 96 engages stop pin 155.

As shown in FIGURE 8, the left hand assembly 21 is the same as the right hand assembly 20 except that the bellcrank lever 96 is reversed to lever 96 so that the other leg 1156 of lever 96 opens the normally closed switch 138 of assembly 21 ywhen latch boltsv 106 and 106 are in latched position. t

merges `into the edge 157 of leg 156 of the bellcrank. Thus, during the initial unlatching movement of the latch bolt, the plunger `122 will remain in its position as shown in full lines in FIGURE 2 as edge i134 moves relative thereto so that switch 138 remains closed. Thereafter, as the latch bolt moves to its unlatched position A, edge 157 moves into engagement with the other end of plunger 122 to start to shift the plunger to the left as viewed in FIGURE 2 to its dotted position as shown therein, although switch 138 remains closed. As latch bolt 106 moves from its unlatched position A to its open or parked position B, edge 157 continues to move relative to the other Vend ofV plunger 122 to further shift the plunger to theleft as shown in IFIGURE 9 and openswitch 138. The edge I157 is arranged to open the switch immediately prior to the time that the bolt reaches open position so that the inertia of the motor armature and the Iwindup in cable 22 moves the bolt from its position adjacent open or parked position, wherein switch 138 lis opened to its open or parked position. In the embodiment shown, edge 157 is arranged to open switch 138 when pivotk104 is l7 degrees to the right of a vertical line through the axis of shaft 75. It will be noted, of course, that switch I138 is not opened until the hooked end of the bolt is positioned out of the path of the striker pin 152.V i

During this movement of the bolt 106 to its open or parked position,A bolt 106 will be similarly moved to 1pts open or parked position in the same manner although in `an opposite direction. However, as edge 157' moves relative to t-he other end of plunger 122 switch 138 will become closed immediately after bolt 106 moves from latched toward unlatched position.

Assuming now that the convertible top has been moved to a raised. position wherein -the top header 12 rests on the windshield header 16 or is located closing adja-` cent thereto and that the operator desires to latch the top headeryto the windshield header. As can be seen from FIGURE 10, closure of switch 158` to contact 164 will complete a circuit to ground across switch 138 and motor 18' to energize the motor in the opposite direction. It is believed that operation of the latches to move the bolts 106 and 106 to latched position is apparent without furthervdescription other than to note that Swich 138 is opened by edge 157 when pivot 104' is 30 degrees to the left of a vertical line through the axis of shaft 75 so that the inertia of the motor armature and the windup in cables 22, as resisted by the seal pressure of weatherstrip 154 moves bolts 106 and 106 a position immediately adjacent latched position wherein switch 138 is opened, to latched position. Engagement 'of arms 102 and 102 of levers 96 with pins 155 and 155 locates the latch bolts in the latched position thereof.

Thus this invention provides an improved convertible top header latch assembly.

We claim:

l. A latch assembly comprising, in combination, a support, a lever swingably mounted on said support, a latch bolt pivoted to said lever for swinging movement therewith and swinging movement relative thereto between latched, unlatched and parked positions, a link pivotally interconnecting said support and said latch bolt to guide swinging movement of said bolt relative to said lever, the length of said lever and said link and the several pivots of said bolt to said link and lever and of said link and lever to said support being arranged to move said latch bolt generally linearly relative to said support upon movement of the bolt between latched and unlatched positions and to swing said latch bolt relative to said support upon movement of the bolt between unlatched and parked positions, the pivot of said lever to said bolt and the pivot of said link to said support being on diametrically opposite sides of said pivot axis of said lever on said support in the latched position of said bolt, swinging movement of said lever to move said bolt toward unlatched position folding said link Vand the portion of said bolt between the pivots thereof to said lever and to said link relative to each other to thereby move said bolt generally linearly relative to said support between said latched and said unlatched positions thereof.

2. A latch assembly comprising, in combination, a support, a lever swingably mounted on said support, a latch bolt pivoted to said lever for swinging movement therewith and swinging movement relative thereto between latched, unlatched and parked positions, a link pivotally interconnecting said support and said latch bolt to guide swinging movement of said bolt relative to said lever, the length of said lever and said link and the several pivots of said bolt to said link and lever and of said link and lever to said support being arranged to move said latch bolt generally linearly relative to said support upon movement of the bolt between latched and unlatched positions and to swing said latch bolt relative to said support upon movement of the bolt between unlatched and parked positions, the pivot of said bolt to said lever being to one side of a line through the pivots of said lever to said support and of said link to said bolt when said bolt is in the latched position thereof and being arranged to move to the other side of said line upon movement of said bolt from said latched to said parked position, power operating means operatively connected to said lever, and control means responsive to the position of said bolt for controlling said power operating means, said control means being operative to deenergize said power operating means when said bolt is in a position adjacent said latched or parked positions to permit the overtravel of said power operating means to move said bolt to said latched or parked positions.

3. A latch assembly comprising, in combination, a support, a lever swingably mounted on said support, a latch bolt pivoted to said lever for swinging movement there- With and swinging movement relative thereto between latched, unlatched and parked positions, a link pivotally interconnecting said support and said latch bolt to guide swinging movement of said bolt relative to said lever, the length of said lever and said link and the several pivots of said bolt to said link and lever and of said link and lever to said support being arranged to move said latch bolt generally linearly relative to said support upon movement of said bolt between latched and unlatched positions and to swing said latch bolt relative to said support upon movementl of said bolt between unlatched and parked positions, the pivot of said bolt to said lever being to one side of a line ythrough the pivots of said lever to said support and of said link to said bolt when said bolt is in the latched position thereof and being arranged to moveto the other side of said line upon movement of said bolt from said latched to said parked position as said link swings -in the same direction relative to said support as said bolt, power operating means operatively connected to said lever for swinging said lever, control means responsive to the position of said bolt for controlling said power operating means, said control means being operative to deenergize said power operating means when said bolt is in a position adjacent said latched or parked positions to permit the overtravel of said power operating means to move said bolt to said latched or parked positions, and means engageable by said lever to locate said bolt in said latched or parked positions.

4. A latch assembly comprising, in combination, a support, a bell crank -lever swingably mounted on said support, cam means on one leg of said lever, a latch bolt pivoted to the other leg of said lever for swinging movement therewith and swinging movement relative thereto between latched, unlatched `and parked positions, a link pivotally interconnecting said support and said latch bolt to guide swinging movement of said bolt relative to said lever, the length of said lever and said link and the several pivots of said bolt to said link and lever and of said link and lever to said support being arranged to move said latch bolt generally linearly relative .to said support upon movement of said bolt between latched and unlatched positions and to swing said latch bolt relative to said support upon movement of said bolt between unlatched and parked positions, the pivot of said bolt -to said lever being to one side of a line through the pivots of said lever to said support and of said ylink to said bolt when said bolt is in the latched position thereof and being arranged to move to the other side of said line upon movement of said bolt from said latched to said parked position as said link swings in the same direction relative to said support as said bolt, power operating means operatively connected to said lever, control means -for said power operating means including switch means, and cam follower means operatively connected to said switch means and engageable with said cam means on said lever to actuate said switch means.

5. A llatch assembly comprising, in combination, a support, -a lever swingably mounted on said support and including a cam surface, a latch bolt pivoted to said lever for swinging movement therewith and swinging movement relative thereto between latched, unlatched and parked positions, a link pivotally interconnecting said support and said latch bolt to guide swinging movement o-f said bolt relative to said lever, the length of said lever and said link and the several pivots of said bolt to said link and lever and of said link and lever to said support being arranged to move said latch bolt generally linearly relative to said support upon movement of said bolt between latched and unlatched positions and to swing said latch -bolt relative to said support upon movement of said bolt between unlatched and parked positions, power operating means operatively connected to said lever for swinging said lever, control means Vfor said power operating means including switch means, and reciprocable plunger means engageable with said cam surface land said Y 7 t i switch means to control said switch means in response to the position of said bolt, said control means being operative to deenergize said power Voperating means when said bolt is in a position adjacent said latclled 0r parked positions to permit overtravel of said Vpower operating means to move said bolt to said latched or parked positions.

6. A ilatch assembly comprising, in combination, -a support, a bell crank lever swingably mounted on said support, a cam surface on one leg of said lever, a latch bolt pivoted to the other leg of said lever for swinging movement therewith and swinging movement relative thereto between latched, unlatched and parked positions, a link pivotally interconnecting said support and said latch bolt to guide swinging movement of said bolt relative to said lever, the length of said lever `and said link and the several pivots of said bolt to said link and lever and of said link and -lever to said support being arranged to move said latch bolt generally linearly 'relative to said support References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS` 2,753,202 VSmith et al. July 3, 1956 2,852,292 Galla Sept. 16, 1958 2,886,364 Smith May 12, 1959 2,916,327 GilSon Dec. 8, 1959 

